Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Neckes, Brian Pierce, Catherine Neckes, Michael Mehiel
Hi Elizabeth Neckes, Brian Pierce, Catherine Neckes, Michael Mehiel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Ours is a family business.
While living and working in Brooklyn, NY in the early 2010s, we were always throwing around the idea of joining forces to open a restaurant. Catherine was working pastry, including at Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar commissary kitchen, Brian was cooking in some great restaurants in Manhattan and Brooklyn including Estela and Andrew Tarlow’s Marlow & Sons, Michael was running a handful of restaurants with his family, and Elizabeth was working in programming and fundraising for the visual arts.
In 2021, after several moves and overseas sojourns, we decided as a group to relocate to Boulder, CO and establish a restaurant downtown. Michael and Catherine moved from New Orleans and Brian and Elizabeth came down to the Front Range from a two-year stay in the Roaring Fork Valley. We found a storied location on Pearl Street in the spring, signed the lease in July, and immediately started the remodel. We added a fabulous new back bar and updated lighting to compliment the existing historical beauty of the space. Gemini opened on November 4, 2021.
It was still the pandemic, so we had to adjust to those crazy, unpredictable times. We also had to learn the seasonal flow of Boulder and fine tune our menu and service.
After establishing a robust business at Gemini, we were looking to open a second restaurant. The space next door to Gemini became available and so in April of 2024 we launched our second concept. High Country emanates the spirit of the mountains with chill vibes, bespoke comfort-food, and a fun cocktail program.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Owning and operating a restaurant takes hard work, long hours, and a flexible, responsive nature. We continue to learn about our business every day. We are always focused on what our customers want from their dining experience and incorporate that into our operations.
Business in downtown Boulder is a roller coaster. There is great foot traffic on the mall during the summer months with tourists, special events and fairs downtown almost every weekend. Fall brings its own action with CU students coming back to school, Buffs Football games, and corporate conferences in town. And then weathering the slower months takes patience and thoughtful planning, but also gives us an opportunity to work on strategy and menu development.
Local diners and tourists have had a few years to learn how special our offering and atmosphere are. We have also built up a significant large party dining program, hosting birthdays, corporate events, and wedding rehearsal dinners throughout the year.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Brian cares deeply about how he sources ingredients. We try to use produce and meat from local farmers and ranchers as much as possible. He’s at the farmer’s market every Wednesday and Saturday during the season and goes up to Longmont to pick up produce as well.
Gemini serves refined, Spanish-inspired dishes with splashes of New American cuisine. Everything is made from the best ingredients we can find, always from scratch, and with care.
We take pride in our team, both front and back-of-house. We put a lot of focus on training and helping employees grow in their roles. Many of the key personnel at Gemini have been with us since we opened including our Chef de Cuisine, Joe Castillo and our General Manager, Carolyn Muñoz.
Service is critical to us as well. We want to make sure our diners can relax and have a great time. When Gemini is at its best the atmosphere is high energy and laid back. Everything on point but with no fuss. No pretension.
Our tapas dishes – small plates to share – are highly popular. Favorites include the champiñones (fried mushrooms), patatas bravas, meatballs, croquettes de chorizo, and our baked goat cheese. From our entrée menu our salmon, mussels, and paella are favorites. Catherine is always working on decadent desserts. Our basque cheesecake and caramel flan are classics and our Tarte de Santiago has been a great seller since the summer. The bar program is sophisticated yet approachable with predominately Spanish and American wines and killer cocktails and NA beverages. We had fun creating specials for the holiday season with a raw bar, halibut en papillote, big ribeye steaks, and more. Keep a look out for our always lovely Valentine’s Day menu!
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Keep going.
There will be ups and downs.
Expect the unexpected.
If you build it dude, it is no dream.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.geminiboulder.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gemini.boulder/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geminitapasandwine/
